The Decameron

Written by Giovanni Boccaccio in 1353 in the midst of the black plague, The Decameron is a fictional novel that tells of 10 friends, 7 women and 3 men, and their experiences and the stories they tell. They are upper class citizens and have escaped the “ill airs” of plague to the countryside of Florence, Italy. During this time, they tell stories, and continue to enjoy the finer things in life. During this pandemic, those who could afford it continued their affluent, social lives, believing that the sickness that was taking so many lives was the result of anything from bad air to a curse from God. Boccaccio was a part of this lifestyle as well, as was the audience he was writing to. Reading was a privilege few held in that time, but this novel was very popular those who could gain access to it.